Best Destiny 2 PvP weapons: Meta guns for Competitive & Trials of Osiris

❘ Updated: 2024-03-04T16:29:32

Bungie

The arsenal of weapons in Destiny 2 is impressive but

Season of the Wish has seen the meta shift greatly with new weapons and strategies taking over The Crucible. Here are the best PvP weapons in Destiny 2 to use and dominate in Season 23 Competitive & Trials of Osiris.

Contrary to what some players may think, the Crucible remains an extremely popular battleground for Guardians to test their mettle against one another.

One of the biggest draws of PvP in Destiny 2 is the challenge of buildcrafting and finding the right guns to dominate. This is especially tricky as Bungie continues to release new weapons causing the meta to shift constantly.

To help you figure out which guns you should be using in the Crucible we’ve put together this list of the most used and best Destiny 2 PvP weapons in Into The Light, courtesy of Destiny Tracker.

Destiny 2: Best PvP weapons in Into The Light

These are the most used guns in Destiny 2’s Competitive playlist during Into The Light as of April 2024:

10. Ace of Spades

Ace of Spades Exotic Hand Cannon from Destiny 2.

Cayde-6’s trusty hand cannon – Ace of Spades – has always been one of the best weapons in Destiny 2 PvP. First released in Forsaken, it allows Guardians to chamber powerful rounds after securing a final blow courtesy of Memento Mori.

Couple that with its permanent radar and additional AOE Solar damage thanks to Firefly and you’re left with an incredible Exotic Hand Cannon perfectly suited to the Crucible. As long as Destiny’s most iconic weapon type remains strong, so will Ace of Spades.

God Roll: Curated Roll

9. Rose

Rose legendary hand cannon from destiny 2.

Ladies and gentlemen, Rose is back. This Legendary Hand Cannon fell out of the meta after it stopped being farmable but Season of the Wish brings it back as a focusable weapon at Lord Shaxx.

Otherwise not much has changed with Rose remaining an incredible option and a true fan favorite for just about any Hand Cannon user. These days it’s even a decent PvE weapon so don’t be afraid to pull yours out whenever possible.

God Roll: Smallbore + Accurized Rounds + Slideshot/Perpetual Motion + Explosive Payload

8. Heliocentric QSC

Heliocentric QSc sidearm in Destiny 2.

It has been a long time since a Sidearm of all weapons has featured on this list. However, Heliocentric QSC is a fantastic pistol that has long since not only matched Drang (Baroque) but surpassed it.

Though Heliocentric QSC has always been good the huge balance changes to PvP have made Sidearms much more viable in the current sandbox. As long as you keep gunfights up close, this pistol is sure to dominate The Crucible in your Competitive games.

God Roll: Corkscrew Rifling + Tactical Mag + Heal Clip + Kill Clip

7. The Jade Rabbit

The Jade Rabbit Exotic pulse rifle in Destiny 2.

As Exotics go, The Jade Rabbit is nothing too wild with its unique effect simply boosting damage after landing Precision Shots. However, in PvP that’s all it needs to be effective as you will almost exclusively be landing headshots with a Scout Rifle like this.

It feels great to use and has a very consistent three-shot kill. That isn’t overly rare for a Scout Rifle but The Jade Rabbit’s high Range and intrinsic Zen Moment make landing that three-shot combo easy enough. If you just want a Scout Rifle that does what it should, you can’t go wrong with this classic Exotic.

God Roll: Curated Roll

6. Matador 64

The Matador 64 Legendary Shotgun in Destiny 2.

Ever since the Matador 64 was added during the 30th Anniversary Pack, it has remained one of the best close-range guns in Destiny 2 PvP. It isn’t difficult to farm and has access to the incredible combo of Threat Detector + Opening Shot which gives it unbelievable range.

With the right perks, the Matador 64 edges out every other Legendary shotgun as it’s more versatile than many of its competitors. Its ease of use and general effectiveness have helped establish it as Destiny 2’s most lethal CQB option.

God Roll: Corkscrew Rifling + Accurized Rounds + Threat Detector/Perpetual Motion + Opening Shot

5. Cataphract GL3

Cataphract GL3 strand heavy grenade launcher in destiny 2.

First introduced as a new Trials of Osiris weapon in Season 22, Cataphract GL3 is quite simply the best Heavy Grenade Launcher in Destiny 2. Funnily enough, that statement is true of not only PvP but also PvE. It is an absolute monster of a weapon.

For PvP it gets access to the practically essential perk that is Impulse Amplifier while also having Chain Reaction as an option, arguably the best choice on a HGL. This weapon ends up filling the role of an even better Wendigo, another Heavy gun that was already prevalent in the Crucible.

God Roll: Volatile Launch + Proximity Grenades + Impulse Amplifier + Chain Reaction

4. Prosecutor

Prosecutor Arc Auto Rifle in Destiny 2

Do you guys remember when people used to use Ammit AR2? Well, you should because it was just last month before this new Auto Rifle killed it off. Available as one of the reissued weapons in Prophecy, Prosecutor is extremely good and not even that difficult to farm.

This new Arc weapon gets access to some incredible perk combinations as well as an Origin Trait which buffs range, handling, and even damage. Prosecutor is a must-get weapon that just about anyone can dominate with regardless of skill level.

God Roll: Arrowhead Brake + Ricochet Rounds + Zen Moment + Target Lock

3. Igneous Hammer

Igneous Hammer legendary Solar Hand Cannon in Destiny 2.

When Igneous Hammer was first released in Season 13 it was a serviceable yet unspectacular Hand Cannon. However, a much-needed reissue in Season 22 has elevated it massively with the Solar weapon now being the most popular weapon in the Crucible.

Not only does it feel good to use but Igneous Hammer also gets access to multiple top-tier PvP perks including Keep Away and Opening Shot. While it can be a lot of effort to farm this primary, it’s more than worth the grind given how strong it is.

God Roll: Fluted Barrel + Ricochet Rounds + Keep Away + Eye of the Storm/Opening Shot

2. The Summoner

The Summoner auto rifle in Destiny 2.

Bungie really decided this was Season of the Auto Rifle as not only was Prosecutor added, but also The Summoner. This Solar AR has one of the most stacked perk pools in the history of Destiny 2, being both a powerhouse in PvP as well as PvE.

For PvP, the allure of Dynamic Sway Reduction and Target Lock will be too good for most players to turn down but don’t sleep on other options like Heal Clip, Kill Clip, Zen Moment, Golden Tricorn, Tap The Trigger, and even Perpetual Motion. There are just so many good options that just a few rounds of Trials of Osiris give you a good chance of getting a nice roll on this gun.

God Roll: Arrowhead Brake + Ricochet Rounds + Dynamic Sway Reduction + Target Lock

1. Conditional Finality

conditional finality exotic shotgun from destiny 2.

When you think of versatile weapons, shotguns probably don’t come to mind. Yet that’s exactly what Conditional Finality is with it being one of the few guns in Destiny 2 to excel in both PvE and PvP.

On top of being an all-around excellent shotgun thanks to its fast handling and remarkable range, the real selling point of Conditional Finality is that it can freeze enemy Guardians. This intrinsic crowd control plus free shatter damage makes it a real threat and the best overall close-range gun in The Crucible.

God Roll: Curated Roll